2024-06-122023/24:TU17 · p.6TUTransport & infrastructure
Promotion of Domestic and Coastal Shipping
A green strategy for inland and coastal shipping
What's at stake: Greener coastal shipping could cut emissions, create green jobs and take pressure off the road network by shifting freight to sea, but requires coordination between shipping companies, municipalities, authorities and freight buyers, along with funding for green investment.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether Sweden, following Norway's example, should develop a dedicated green strategy for inland and coastal shipping to cut emissions and shift freight from road to sea, or whether this should continue to be handled within existing initiatives and mandates to strengthen shipping's competitiveness.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee highlights the importance of a strong and competitive shipping industry and points to initiatives and mandates already carried out to strengthen shipping's competitiveness and shift freight transport from road to sea, including the national freight-transport strategy and the national coordinator for domestic and short-sea shipping. The committee therefore sees no reason to take further initiative at this time and rejects the motion calling for a dedicated green coastal-shipping strategy.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 12 (C)
The reservation (C) wants the government to develop a green Swedish coastal-shipping strategy that brings together the national maritime strategy and the national freight action plan, pointing out that Norway has recently adopted a similar green coastal strategy bringing together the shipping industry, municipalities, authorities and freight buyers, linked to a budget for green investment.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 12 by C.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Abstain 0/0/19/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | derived |
| S | No | Yes 90/0/1/15 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 15/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | derived |
| C | No | No 1/20/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | Yes | Yes 58/0/0/10 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Abstain 0/0/63/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Broke with the party line
| SJoakim Sandell (S, Malmö kommun) | Abstain — party line: Yes |
| CAlireza Akhondi (C, Stockholms län) | Yes — party line: No |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:401 by Jimmy Ståhl et al. (SD) items 8 and 16, 2023/24:646 by Linda W Snecker et al. (V) item 2 and 2023/24:2465 by Ulrika Heie et al. (C) item 84.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:401 av Jimmy Ståhl m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 8 och 16, 2023/24:646 av Linda W Snecker m.fl. (V) yrkande 2 och 2023/24:2465 av Ulrika Heie m.fl. (C) yrkande 84.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected approximately 70 proposals concerning maritime issues in motions from the general motion period of 2023. Parliament refers, among other things, to the fact that work is already underway on the issues raised by the proposals. The proposals deal, among other things, with Swedish shipping's competitiveness, the Maritime Administration's environmental issues and recreational boating matters.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to conduct a review of opportunities for strengthened competitiveness and more effective environmental management in shipping, and include intermodal transport solutions. (C) — Reservation 12
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The election manifesto establishes that heavy transport needs to be directed to rail and sustainable shipping, and that the transition requires a massive investment programme.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that heavy transport needs to be directed to rail and sustainable shipping, and that the transition requires a massive investment programme. The counter-proposal's demand for a green coastal shipping strategy linked to a budget for green investments is precisely such a steering instrument. The party programme also wants to see a comprehensive and long-term investment plan and climate goals linked to concrete, numerically specified proposals, which speaks against current efforts being sufficient.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att tunga transporter behöver styras till järnväg och hållbar sjöfart, och att omställningen kräver ett massivt investeringsprogram. Motförslagets krav på en grön kustfartsstrategi kopplad till en budget för gröna investeringar är just ett sådant styrande instrument. Partiprogrammet vill dessutom se en omfattande och långsiktig investeringsplan samt klimatmål som knyts till konkreta, siffersatta förslag, vilket talar emot att pågående insatser räcker.
- goods to rail and shippingdecisive»Tunga transporter behöver styras till järnväg och hållbar sjöfart.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Heavy transport needs to be directed to rail and sustainable shipping.”
- massive green investment programme»Vänsterpartiet föreslår ett massivt investeringsprogram för den gröna industrin.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party proposes a massive investment programme for the green industry.”
- long-term investment plan for transport»Det behövs en omfattande och långsiktig investeringsplan för det,« (party programme ↗)“There is a need for a comprehensive and long-term investment plan for that,”
- concrete numerically specified climate proposals»klimatmålen med konkreta, siffersatta förslag.« (party programme ↗)“climate goals with concrete, numerically specified proposals.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme requires that transport systems be restructured so that road transport is replaced by rail and maritime transport.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that transport systems be restructured so that road transport is replaced by rail and maritime transport. A green coastal shipping strategy that links the maritime strategy to a freight handling plan is a means for precisely that transfer. The election manifesto also wants to increase green public investments and make Sweden the world's first fossil-free welfare state. The plan thus supports the counter-proposal's requirements.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att transportsystemen läggs om så att vägtransporter ersätts med järnvägstransporter och sjötrafik. En grön kustfartsstrategi som knyter den maritima strategin till en godshandlingsplan är ett medel för precis den överflyttningen. Valmanifestet vill dessutom öka de gröna statliga investeringarna och göra Sverige till världens första fossilfria välfärdsnation. Planen stöder därmed motförslagets krav.
- freight from road to maritime transportdecisive»vägtransporter ersätts med järnvägstransporter och sjötrafik.« (party programme ↗)“road transport is replaced by rail transport and maritime transport.”
- restructured transport system»Transportsystemen ska läggas om för mer gång-, cykel- och kollektivtrafik« (party programme ↗)“Transport systems shall be restructured for more walking, cycling and public transport”
- fossil-free welfare state»Sverige ska bli världens första fossilfria välfärdsnation.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become the world's first fossil-free welfare state.”
- green public investments»Genom att staten tar en del av risken kan de gröna investeringarna öka.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“By the state taking a share of the risk, green investments can increase.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme wants to build out and develop railways, shipping and intermodal terminals so that goods transport on roads can decrease, and highlights the coast's ports as an opportunity to improve energy efficiency by combining land and sea transport.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme wants to build out and develop railways, shipping and intermodal terminals so that goods transport on roads can decrease, and highlights the coast's ports as an opportunity to improve energy efficiency by combining land and sea transport. A green coastal shipping strategy linked to a goods handling plan is precisely the tool needed for that shift. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet vill bygga ut och utveckla järnväg, sjöfart och kombiterminaler så att godstransporterna på väg kan minska, och framhåller kustens hamnar som en möjlighet att förbättra energieffektiviteten genom att kombinera land- och sjötransporter. En grön kustfartsstrategi kopplad till en godshandlingsplan är just det verktyg som behövs för den överflyttningen. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- goods from road to shippingdecisive»Vi vill bygga ut och utveckla järnväg, sjöfart och kombiterminaler så att godstransporter på väg kan minska.« (party programme ↗)“We want to build out and develop railways, shipping and intermodal terminals so that goods transport on roads can decrease.”
- coastal shipping potential»Sverige har en lång kust med väl fungerande hamnar som ger goda förutsättningar att förbättra energieffektiviteten genom att kombinera land och sjötransporter.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden has a long coast with well-functioning ports that provide good opportunities to improve energy efficiency by combining land and sea transport.”
- environmentally sound goods transport»Godstransporter ska så långt som möjligt utföras med miljöanpassade och energieffektiva transportmedel.« (party programme ↗)“Goods transport shall as far as possible be performed with environmentally sound and energy-efficient transport means.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The manifesto explicitly states that more must be done for shipping to be able to convert to renewable fuels with strengthened competitiveness, and that transport emissions must go.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The manifesto explicitly states that more must be done for shipping to be able to convert to renewable fuels with strengthened competitiveness, and that transport emissions must go. A green coastal shipping strategy bringing together industry, municipalities and authorities is one way to implement precisely that commitment. The plan also wants to make it easy to choose boat over car, which supports a shift of freight to sea.
Original (Swedish)
Manifestet säger uttryckligen att mer behöver göras för att sjöfarten ska kunna ställa om till förnybara drivmedel med stärkt konkurrenskraft, och att transporternas utsläpp ska bort. En grön kustfartsstrategi som samlar näring, kommuner och myndigheter är ett sätt att genomföra just det åtagandet. Planen vill dessutom göra det smidigt att välja båt framför bil, vilket stöder överflyttning av gods till sjöss.
- conversion of shippingdecisive»Mer behöver göras för att flyget, sjöfarten och jordbruket ska kunna ställa om till förnybara drivmedel med stärkt konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More must be done for aviation, shipping and agriculture to be able to convert to renewable fuels with strengthened competitiveness.”
- zero-emission transport»Transporternas utsläpp ska bort och ny utsläppsfri infrastruktur ska komma på plats.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Transport emissions must go and new zero-emission infrastructure must be in place.”
- shift to sea and rail»Det ska dessutom vara smidigt att välja bort bilen till förmån för tåg, buss, båt och cykel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It must also be easy to choose to forgo the car in favour of train, bus, boat and bicycle.”
The plan establishes that good opportunities for sea transport are an important part of infrastructure and that large cargo volumes can be moved by sea with low climate emissions whilst roads and railways are relieved.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that good opportunities for sea transport are an important part of infrastructure and that large cargo volumes can be moved by sea with low climate emissions whilst roads and railways are relieved. It also requires that dependence on fossil fuels is broken and that fossil emissions from the transport sector disappear. A green coastal shipping strategy that combines maritime promotion with climate transition aligns with this, even though the plan does not mention any strategy document.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att goda möjligheter till sjötransporter är ett viktigt inslag i infrastrukturen och att stora godsvolymer kan flyttas till sjöss med låga klimatutsläpp samtidigt som vägar och järnvägar avlastas. Den kräver också att beroendet av fossila bränslen bryts och att fossilutsläppen från transportsektorn bort. En grön kustfartsstrategi som förenar sjöfartsfrämjande med klimatomställning ligger i linje med detta, även om planen inte nämner något strategidokument.
- shipping as part of infrastructuredecisive»Goda möjligheter till sjötransporter är ett viktigt inslag i infrastrukturen.« (party programme ↗)“Good opportunities for sea transport are an important part of infrastructure.”
- cargo by sea relieves the road network»transporteras med låga klimatutsläpp per tonkilometer, samtidigt som vägar och järnvägar« (party programme ↗)“transported with low climate emissions per tonne-kilometre, whilst roads and railways are”
- fossil-free transport»Fossilutsläppen från transportsektorn ska bort.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Fossil emissions from the transport sector shall disappear.”
- all transport modes bear climate cost»Beroendet av fossila bränslen måste brytas och alla transportslag måste stå för sina« (party programme ↗)“Dependence on fossil fuels must be broken and all transport modes must account for their”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants more cargo transport to be conducted with environmentally friendly and energy-efficient transport modes and wants instruments designed so that the most economically and environmentally efficient systems are stimulated, with a strong Swedish maritime nation.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants more cargo transport to be conducted with environmentally friendly and energy-efficient transport modes and wants instruments designed so that the most economically and environmentally efficient systems are stimulated, with a strong Swedish maritime nation. A green coastal shipping strategy that links maritime strategy and cargo planning is a means for this. Therefore the demand is supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att mer av godstransporterna sker med miljövänliga och energieffektiva transportslag och att styrmedel utformas så att de samhällsekonomiskt och miljömässigt mest effektiva systemen stimuleras, med en stark svensk sjöfartsnation. En grön kustfartsstrategi som knyter ihop maritim strategi och godsplanering är ett medel för detta. Därför stöds kravet.
- cargo to environmentally friendly transportdecisive»Det bör dock eftersträvas att mer av godstransporterna i första hand sker med miljövänliga« (party programme ↗)“It should, however, be pursued that more cargo transport primarily is conducted with environmentally friendly”
- instruments for efficient transport»ska utformas så att de samhällsekonomiskt och miljömässigt mest effektiva kommunikationssystemen stimuleras.« (party programme ↗)“shall be designed so that the most economically and environmentally efficient communication systems are stimulated.”
- strong maritime nation»Sveriges ställning som sjöfartsnation bör« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's position as a maritime nation should”
- roads before expensive projects»Miljardsatsning för att rusta eftersatta vägar i hela landet - istället för att bygga dyra höghastighetståg.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Billion investment to upgrade neglected roads across the country - instead of building expensive high-speed rail.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan does not address coastal and inland waterway transport or any green maritime strategy.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address coastal and inland waterway transport or any green maritime strategy. Its transport policy prioritizes upgrading existing infrastructure and renewing the icebreaker fleet, and the programme warns against expensive symbolic politics on climate issues. Based on these closest principles, the plan speaks against drawing up a new strategy document.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte kust- och inlandssjöfart eller någon grön kustfartsstrategi. Dess transportpolitik prioriterar att rusta upp befintlig infrastruktur och att förnya isbrytarflottan, och programmet varnar för dyrbar symbolpolitik på klimatområdet. Utifrån dessa närmast liggande principer talar planen emot att ett nytt strategidokument tas fram.
- prioritize existing infrastructuredecisive»Rusta upp dagens järnväg i stället för att satsa på höghastighetståg som riskerar att vara omoderna redan innan de är klara« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Upgrade today's railways instead of investing in high-speed trains that risk being outdated before they are even completed”
- no symbolic strategies»Klimatpolitiken får aldrig reduceras till dyrbar symbolpolitik eller snäv klimatnationalism.« (party programme ↗)“Climate policy must never be reduced to expensive symbolic politics or narrow climate nationalism.”
- concrete maritime measures»Förnya flottan av isbrytare för att underlätta för industrin i norra Sverige« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Renew the fleet of icebreakers to facilitate industry in northern Sweden”
- prioritize and rule out»Politiken har en viktig uppgift att prioritera och välja bort,« (party programme ↗)“Politics has an important task to prioritize and rule out,”
The plan wants to strengthen Swedish shipping, partly because it is part of total defence, and requires a shift in transport infrastructure policy.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to strengthen Swedish shipping, partly because it is part of total defence, and requires a shift in transport infrastructure policy. A coastal shipping strategy that brings together the shipping industry, municipalities, authorities and transport purchasers serves that purpose and moves goods to sea. The plan however conditions climate-oriented investments with that they should provide the most benefit per invested krona.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill stärka svensk sjöfart, bland annat därför att den är en del av totalförsvaret, och kräver en omläggning av transportinfrastrukturpolitiken. En kustfartsstrategi som samlar rederinäring, kommuner, myndigheter och transportköpare tjänar det syftet och flyttar gods till sjöss. Planen villkorar dock klimatinriktade satsningar med att de ska ge mest effekt per satsad krona.
- shipping as total defence resourcedecisive»Vi behöver även stärka den svenska sjöfarten för att säkra arbets- och utbildningstillfällen men inte minst för att sjöfarten är en del av totalförsvaret.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We also need to strengthen Swedish shipping to secure job and training opportunities but not least because shipping is part of total defence.”
- strengthened Swedish shipping»Stärka svensk sjöfart« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen Swedish shipping”
- shifted transport policy»För att näringslivet ska fungera väl krävs också en omläggning av transportinfrastrukturpolitiken vad gäller vägar, järnväg och flyg.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“For business to function well also requires a shift in transport infrastructure policy regarding roads, rail and aviation.”
- cost-effective climate benefit»Satsa på åtgärder som minskar utsläppen mest per satsad krona som t ex internationella klimatinvesteringar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Invest in measures that reduce emissions the most per invested krona such as international climate investments”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:TU17)
- Committee report full text (HB01TU17)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1301 — Reformering av Gotlandstillägget av Hanna Westerén (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1398 — Stärkt infrastruktur i Blekinge för väg, hamnar och flyg av Camilla Brunsberg (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1519 — En grön klimathandlingsplan för Sverige av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:174 — Kunskaps- och säkerhetskrav för framförandet av vissa fritidsbåtar av Markus Wiechel (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1784 — Fritidsbåtar av Rickard Nordin (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1873 — För havets och människans framtid av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1951 — Omledning av kommersiell båttrafik från känsliga områden i Östersjön av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1965 — Gotlandstrafiken av Hanna Westerén och Laila Naraghi (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:198 — Ett tydligare statligt ansvar för de viktigaste hamnarna av Magnus Jacobsson (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1983 — Obligatoriskt båtregister för fritidsbåtar av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2206 — En stärkt svensk sjöfartsnäring av Mats Green (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2453 — Ledarskap för klimat och grön omställning av Rickard Nordin m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2465 — Hållbara och tillgängliga transporter för hela landet av Ulrika Heie m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2536 — Satsning på Stockholms skärgård av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2625 — Utgiftsområde 22 Kommunikationer av Gunilla Svantorp m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:401 — En konkurrenskraftig svensk sjöfart av Jimmy Ståhl m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:646 — En hållbar sjöfart för Sverige av Linda W Snecker m.fl. (V)
Source: The Swedish Parliament